DY-NA-MITE!

"Time to the writer is like play dough in the hands of a toddler."

The concept that writers control and shape time in their stories is new to me. If it's new to ME, oh studier of English, it's definitely new to kids. Such a simple thing, and yet I've never concentrated on it in my own writing. I've never given much thought to how powerful it can be to expand what was mere moments in real time to what becomes pages in literary land. Hence - exploding a moment! Ka-pow! (Think Adam West Batman). The image of stealthily putting a stick of dynamite between words, shattering a sentence or two into many pieces, then putting them back together again, not in the original way they were found but in a new way, glued together with complimentary sensory details and drama - astounded that there's more now than when one began... cool.

In my experience, students have the least practice with effective revision strategies. They don't like to do it and further, they don't know how to do it. This isn't the first time they've claimed to hate something they've never tried. Caviar anyone? They struggle when it comes to peer review. Constructive criticism from their buddies isn't enough to guide students on a mission toward successful revision. Instead they need concrete tools to utilize when they just can't figure out what to do next. Barry Lane has it figured out. Thoughtshots, Snapshots, Exploding a Moment, and well, don't we all just love Making a Scene? These are smart, sassy, simple ways for students to hone their craft and crank out a final product they can be proud of.

As I was searching for a resource, I came across a powerpoint that illustrates Exploding a Moment beautifully. Check it out here.


Okay, so I wanted a picture of dynamite, and well, I guess I found some. This is the best I could do... GOSH.

You say you wanna be a WHAT?!

That's right. I'm planning on being an English teacher (well, at least getting licensed) and I consistently have to look up words and concepts in the articles we read. What the hell is rhetorical analysis, anyway? My oh my - I feel stupid. Well, for all those others out there feeling as stupid as I do, here you go: website 1, website 2, website 3. Did you know that rhetoric is the study of potential misunderstanding? Where have I been? Living under a rock? This whole rhetorical analysis comes into play in the anti-5-paragraph-essay article by Kimberly Wesley. Long story short, she ends up arguing for teaching the 5 paragrah essay as a "rhetorical form" with three units. She says that the traditional form painfully limits the choice of purpose, audience, and topic (creativity), thus preventing students from thinking rhetorically (I think I know what that means now).

Surprise, surprise - guess who supports teaching the 5 paragraph essay? I feel that the 5 paragraph essay is an amazing jumping off point for beginning writers. Organization, as we know, is crucial to putting your thoughts together and writing an "essay." Teaching students to master this is setting them up for the baby steps to success. By following some specific guidelines, it helps them to begin to formulate ideas and analyze material. BUT, that being said, it isn't the end all, be all. It can't be taught in isolation. The only thing that does is crank out a student like me who panics when given free reign during creative writing class. It's a helpful guide when students are first learning to write, especially in regards to academic writing.

Check out the bulleted list of the things included in the Capstone Leadership Project. If you're a high school junior or senior wanting to apply for the "Minnesota Scholars of Distinction in Leadership" award, you better know your five paragraph essay. I just thought that was really interesting.

Oh - this is entertaining too.

Digging for Sapphires

Digging for Sapphires. I love this analogy. Buried in the Earth amidst imposters (pebbles and rocks) lie beautiful jewels. When cleaned and polished, these stones sparkle and take on value, especially to the one that discovered them. Not everyone can find them. Like panning for gold, it takes patience and determination. The work hardly seems worth it at first... until that little blue flash of light catches your eye. Ruth Culham likens this process to the challenge of choosing a topic to write about. What a daunting task! BUT, once you uncover that most intriguing topic, you must acquire the resources/skills (i.e. 5 other traits) necessary to crank out a quality product, perhaps something resembling a precious sapphire ring in a beautiful diamond setting.

As I was reflecting upon the the "6+1 Traits of Writing," my usual thoughts surfaced - "How practical is this? Are schools actually using it?" WELL... this time, I had the opportunity to find out. My cooperating teacher confirmed that teachers are in fact teaching these traits - some more than others. However, it's all still very subjective as teachers determine the rules and instruct students in the characteristics of "good writing." There wasn't a lot of time for a more in-depth conversation, as we then went into lockdown mode and entertained students for the next hour and fifteen minutes. I'm not quite sure how a chlorine spill occurs, but one certainly did today. Oh and did you know that a pro can build 36 stories or more in Jenga?

When I was searching for some type of resource to attach to my thoughts above, I ran across a list (compiled each year) of actual metaphors and analogies from high school essays submitted by teachers across the country. I don't know that I'm convinced that these are from real papers that kids have written, but nevertheless, they're great! I figured that lost among all of this academia, we sometimes forget our sense of humor. Okay, maybe that's just me.

Laugh. It's good for you.

Evaluation Criteria

If students were to create their own documentary, here are some of the things I would look for:

-Does this documentary convey a message to the audience?
-Is the topic choice appropriate?
-Does this documentary include research by the student? Did the student seek out interviewees, media sources (newspaper, internet, books), and other background information necessary for the validity/credibility of the claims being made?
-Does this documentary use varied editing techniques?
-Did the student write a reflection of the documentary creation process, focusing on difficulties, strengths, and weaknesses as self-evaluated by the student?

Media Mania

The media.

I have to admit that I don't intentionally seek out too many media sources in an average week, but at the same time, I have to acknowledge, that I am unsuspectingly exposed to more media than I care to be. I work out at the Uptown Y and find myself sometimes reading the ticker at the bottom of the CNN screen. I ride the bus and there are advertisements all over the place, from billboards to bumper stickers. The media source I seek out the most would be the radio and the internet. I live alone (with my two kitty-cats) and will turn on the radio for background noise. I listen to the Current (89.3) and MPR. I occasionally read St. Paul/Mpls magazine when I have an extra $4.50 and the same goes for the NY Times ($5!). I watch very little TV. I used to love the show "Lost" but who knows when that is coming back on the air. My internet is provide by Qwest. The world wide web is where I fall prey to whatever corporate domination decides to overtake my favorite (or just most frequent) websites - hotmail (a necessary evil), youtube, myspace (pathetic, I know), and that's about it. You are now getting a sense of how simple my life is. I have made a conscious choice to avoid corporate America as much as I can. I shop at the coop, try to buy independent clothing (or at least from environmentally responsible companies that don't exploit their workers), am into fair trade, etc. I recognize that the two words "control" and "corporate" are inextricably linked, never to be undone. Access and media content show obvious biases and reflect the values of whatever corporation is making the big bucks off of our addiction to entertainment. While I'm not exactly happy that Fox/News Corp/Google superpower dictates myspace or that my entertainment supports any corporate greed, I suppose there are necessary evils. It's nearly impossible to escape some tainting, unless I were a self-sustaining hermit living in the woods.

Soundtrack of Life

Storyhill, better known to the longtime followers as Chris and Johnny, stole my vulnerable heart years ago. There is something about the acoustic guitar that makes me fall deeper in love with each strum. I don't play, but I admire those who do. This year, my Christmas present to myself is going to be a brand spankin' new acoustic guitar. Hopefully the guys at the Podium won't think I'm too crazy.

Chris Cunningham and John Hermanson have almost 20 years of creative genius together. I love their harmony, their lyrics, their simplicity...
Folk music, from its genuine roots to contemporary singer-songwriters, has always been my favorite genre of music. I really have a variety of interests but I'd say that I gravitate towards folk the most. If I were to list some of my favorite musicians (not necessarily folk), they would be, in no particular order: Storyhill, John Gorka, Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Richard Shindell, Michael Penn, Bruce Cockburn, Greg Brown, Wilco, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Ben Lee, REM, Amos Lee, the Frames, Ryan Adams, Ben Taylor, Coldplay, Counting Crows, Howie Day, John Mayer (and Trio), Pete Yorn, Jem, Tracy Chapman, Ben Folds, Beck, Bob Schneider, Justin Roth, David Wilcox, Rosie Thomas, Jack Johnson, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Damien Rice, Van Morrison, Train, Neil Young, Mike Doughty, Cake, Teddy Thompson, John Butler Trio...

One song? I can only pick one song?

Spaces by Storyhill

I'm thankful for the engine and all the sound it steals
It's not silence, but it's like it -- its constant rhythm heals
My heart like the rumble that nothing can conceal
I know it's not empty, that's only how it feels

And I know I need the spaces
The uncertain places in between
The empty, the unspoken, the silence unbroken
And I know you know what I mean

You ask me why I'm leaving, I ask you why you always stay
With nothing here you can believe in that will carry you away

There's nothing between where I am and the edge of this broad day
(And I know I need the spaces)
It's only wide open and I know I'll find my way
(The uncertain places in between)

'Cuz I know I need the spaces
The uncertain places in between
The empty, the unspoken, the silence unbroken
And I know you know what I mean
I know you know what I mean

This song has always had a special place with me. Perhaps it's because I have lived in an in-between place for so long and experienced challenges at every turn. The confusion about finding your way speaks to me. I still don't know which direction I'm running in. I believe there is a great purpose for me and my big heart, but I don't know what it is. The more I think about it, the less confident I am in my career convictions. I want to help in Darfur. I want to volunteer at the orphanage in South Africa. I want to meditate in Nepal (and maybe climb a mountain). I want to see the Amazon rainforest before I die.

This song has amazing harmonizing vocals. I love to replay it over and over, singing along with the lyrics. It reminds me of the purity of truth and honesty. It reminds me of the things that inspire me. And it reminds me that its okay to be both simplistic and complex.

Let's Get Real!

After Rachel's presentation regarding the three movie versions of "Hamlet," I am further convinced of the value of modern film in the classroom. The stark contrast between the three created a perfect opportunity for me to make personal judgements about each of them. In my own teaching philosophy, I always come back to some of the same themes - perspective, imagination, mindfulness, communication, critical thinking - the list goes on. In an urban environment, I see a great need to get the students to "buy in" to whatever you've got on the curriculum for that particular day or year. For example, Shakespeare on its own is overwhelming and often misunderstood. The language is difficult even for the best readers. Imagine what an endeavor it must be for a stereotypical inner-city student who is already a struggling reader! I do believe that the text must be read as it is - in Shakespearean language. However, "No Fear Shakespeare" which presents both the original text as well as a modern English translation would be a great supplement. THEN follow that up with a contemporary version of the text like Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" or Michael Almereyda's "Hamlet" and you've got them hooked. Perhaps Shakespeare isn't so much of a chore if it's presented in this way. Older film adaptations that maintain literary and dramatic elements closely imitating the traditional text do not give the students much food for thought. They don't facilitate further understanding of the language of the time, nor do they foster much critical thinking. Instead, they simply give a visual representation of a difficult text. I'd much rather take students to the live theater than subject them to this kind of adaptation.

Contemporary film is amazing in its ability to surprise its audience and step outside the box. This type of film allows students to make personal connections as well as think critically about their interpretation of the text. Shakespeare is timeless and the conflicts/topics can often be twisted to reflect modern societal/familial/personal issues. I love that they continue to make movies that push the envelope. I respect and admire those who aren't afraid to take risks. Now, if only I could get students to take the leap of faith with me and trust that reading can be an adventure!